Body moderately robust; head wide, dorsally flattened. Head length 22 to 24% of standard length; fatty (adipose) tissue a rim around eye; lips thick, the upper with a row of papillae which develop in large fish into a horny fringe, lower lip turned down, with a crenulated horny edge and a low double symphysial knob; hind end of upper jaw reaching a vertical between the posterior nostril and the anterior rim of eye; lips toothless, but teeth present on roof of mouth; preorbital bone wide, filling the space between lip and eye, deeply notched anteriorly. First dorsal fin origin nearer to caudal fin base than to snout tip; second dorsal fin origin at vertical through posterior quarter of anal fin base; pectoral axillary scale moderately long (24.5 to 25% of the pectoral fin length); pectoral fin 100 to 112% of the head length; anal fin with 3 spines and 9 soft rays; second dorsal and anal fins densely scaled. Scales in lateral series 34 to 36.